A general object of the present disclosure, in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, is to provide a method and system to characterize the flow of liquid from a container, for example, to establish the attributes of the pour profile of the container.
The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other.
A container test system in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure includes a test chamber including rotatable container carrier, and an assembly for rotating the container between upright and inverted positions. The system also includes sensors to measure the change of the weight of the container as fluid is poured from the container. The system further includes a collection assembly for gathering the liquid that flows from the inverted or partially inverted container. Lastly, the system further includes data collection capability to gather and process sensor data in real-time while the system also includes sensors to monitor any external conditions that may affect the test so that the data may be adjusted to compensate for such external conditions.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a method of determining the pour profile of a container. The method includes positioning the container on a rotatable container carrier, and rotating the container between an upright and an inverted position. The method further includes reading load cells to measure the change in weight of the container during rotation while the fluid contents are poured from the inside of the container, and reading an accelerometer to monitor and detect any outside environmental interference that may influence the results of the test, and adjusting the test results for such outside interference.